Quakes shake Ilocos Sur, Davao del Sur, Mindoro, Ifugao

MANILA, Philippines—A magnitude 4.4 earthquake shook several towns in Ilocos Sur early Sunday while a stronger, magnitude 5.2 tremor occurred in  Davao del Sur at noon but was hardly felt.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) placed the epicenter of the Ilocos Sur quake  38 kilometers northwest of the town of Sta. Catalina with a depth of focus of 26 kilometers.

The agency’s Seismological Observation and Earthquake Prediction Division said that the tremor that thook the province at 2:40 a.m. Sunday  was felt at intensity III in the towns of Sta. Catalina, San Vicente, and Cauayan as well as in Vigan City.

It was felt at Intensity II in Bantay, Narvacan, Sta. Maria, and Burgos towns. No damage to property was reported.

Before the temblor in Ilocos Sur, Phivolcs recorded a magnitude 2.8 quakes in Looc, Occidental Mindoro, and Lagawe, Ifugao Province. Neither tremors were reported to have been felt by people.

The Occidental Mindor tremor occrred at  at 12:09 a.m, with its epicenter at 22 kilometers northeast of Looc town at a depth of six kilometers while the earthquake in Ifugao Province hit at 1:20 a.m, its epicenter at 33 kilometers northwest of Lagawe town with a depth of 28 kilometers.

Shortly past noon Sunday, at around 12:14 pm,  Phivolcs said, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit Davao del Sur. Its epicenter was placed  47 kilometers northeast of Don Marcelino town with a depth of 117 kilometers.

Despite the magnitude, the earthquake was not not felt in the province and no damage to property was reported.